Gators' "Swamp" a Nemesis for Home Team

It used to be that playing football games at the University of Florida's home Ben Hill Griffin stadium, nicknamed "The Swamp", was an almost insurmountable obstacle for the visiting team.  Now it seems that the home team is having issues with it.  In the Gators' last four games, one was on the road (Florida win, 34-10), one was at a neutral site (Florida win, 38-20), and two were at home (both Florida losses, 42-13 and today's overtime loss to South Carolina, 23-20).  And it's not a matter of opposing teams coming in here and playing over their heads: their play, if anything, has been unimpressive.  Instead, it's been Florida that has stumbled and faltered with turnovers, penalties, and disastrous lapses in special teams play.  To me, that's a sign of slipshod coaching...

I wrote a couple of days ago that Florida still had a shot at the SEC title...now they're left just trying to finish with a winning season and a bowl invitation.  To accomplish this, they only need to win over their second small-college "pushover" opponent, which is their next scheduled game.  But a couple of points here: (1) two years ago the Gators very nearly lost their late season "easy" game and last year they did lose it...and (2) the upcoming game next Saturday against Eastern Kentucky is being played in "The Swamp".  Maybe they can reschedule it to take place somewhere else...